Puyallup shrugs off relay disqualification in 4A state girls swimming preliminaries
Puyallup’s 200 medley relay team would have placed second Friday if it weren’t for one word at the 4A state preliminaries at Weyerhaeuser King County Aquatic Center in Federal Way.
The word: disqualification.
The Vikings finished in 1:49.67, and hopes were up until it was announced that lane four — Puyallup’s lane — was disqualified for a false start.
During districts, the Vikings broke a 16-year-old record for the 200 medley relay. “This is one of our best races,” coach Andrea Stammen said.
“It’s just one of those things that happen. You have to be able to move on and do it quickly,” said Stammen. “It’s disappointing, but it’s nothing we can’t recover from later in the meet.”
Recover they did. After the disqualification, the Vikings went on to solidify four top 10 places in the final 11 events.
Senior Lindsey Muiznieks took fourth place in the 100 butterfly (57.86 seconds), Muiznieks also took 10th in the 50 free and will be racing in the consolation round with an overall time of 25.46. Mackenzie Mergel took third place in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.55) and sixth in the 200 freestyle (1:55.07).
The final race of the night gave Puyallup hope. The Vikings placed fourth during the 400 freestyle relay. The team of Maddie Joy, Muiznieks, Kacey Kiuchi and Mergel finished in 3:38.58.
Timberline’s Hannah Barker
placed fourth in the 500 freestyle in 5:08.92,and was eighth in the 100 backstroke in 59.44.
Gig Harbor’s team of Alana Ponce, Gabrielle Martin, Anna Furrer and Katya Andren took fifth place in the 200 freestyle relay, finished 0.6 seconds s behind fourth-place Skyline (1:41.87). Ursula Andren also placed fifth in the 100 backstroke (1:06.24).
3A
Wilson’s Madeleine Dodge competed in the 100 freestyle and the 200 IM and also was a part of the the 400 freestyle relay.
During prelims, Dodge took second place in the 100 freestyle at 53.25. She took third place in the 200 IM in which she was just edged out (0.03 seconds) by North Thurston’s Maya Lawson-Rivera (2:09.77). Dodge, Kelly Tran, Carmen Parra and Karli Stevenson finished in 3:48.49, which was good enough for eighth place in the 400 freestyle relay.
North Thurston will race in four state finals races: The 200 freestyle relay team placed sixth. Maya Lawson-Rivera’s performance in the 200 IM (2:09.77) earned her a chance for the title, and she also tied for third in the 100 breaststroke at 1:05.49. And the 200 medley relay earned seventh place in 1:53.88.
This story was originally published November 14, 2015 at 12:36 AM with the headline "Puyallup shrugs off relay disqualification in 4A state girls swimming preliminaries."